My Old Kentucky Podcast

Shameka Parrish-Wright & Ted Shouse on Injustice Square Park and Judicial Reforms

This week Jazmin and Robert welcomed Shameka Parrish-Wright, Operations Manager at The Bail Project-Louisville and a driving force behind the movement at Injustice Square Park, and Ted Shouse, an attorney working pro bono for The Bail Project-Louisville and for many of the protestors who have been arrested in recent days.  The group talked about the past, present, and future of the movement, and changes they would like to see in every branch of the city's government, especially Mr. Shouse's proposal for reforming the warrant procedures in Louisville.
Before the interview, Jazmin and Robert spoke about the protests, with an emphasis on the Vision Russell project in the wake of accusations that Breonna Taylor's killing was due in part to the city's efforts in Russell, and about COVID-19.

Election Results with Perry Bacon & Interview with Jeff Grammer

Jazmin is out this week, so Robert welcomed Perry Bacon (538 writer and Louisville native) to talk about Amy McGrath's tight victory over Charles Booker in the US Senate primary.  Also discussed were what it will take for Amy McGrath to beat Mitch McConnell, what is next for Charles Booker, and what the future might hold for Black politicians in Kentucky.
Jeff Grammer, Democratic candidate for Kentucky House in East Louisville, also joined Robert and they talked about his race and district.  This is his second run for the seat and second time on the show.
Robert also talked through COVID-19 and protest updates.

The Primary Election Got Weird

This week, Robert and Jazmin discuss the primary election (which went viral for weird reasons), the ongoing protests (a police officer was fired this week in conjunction will the killing of Breonna Taylor), and COVID-19 (it's still happening, folks)

Can Mayor Fischer Fire Breonna Taylor's Killers?

This week Jazmin and Robert talk about many of the topics dominating the news this summer: COVID-19, protests, and the primary election.  In addition, this week the show dives into the reasons why Mayor Fischer says he cannot fire the three officers who executed the no-knock warrant on Breonna Taylor's home which resulted in her killing at their hands.  We looked at the laws, the mayor's justification, and how it all compares to actions taken in Minneapolis and Atlanta, where officers have been fired.

Protests & COVID continue, Plus Charles Booker Interview

This week we continue talking about the wave of protests all across Kentucky, and update the status of the COVID-19 outbreak, which is probably not getting any better as we reopen.  Also discussed are the selection of new MCOs for Kentucky's Medicaid Program, and a lawsuit about voting locations.
Jazmin and Robert interviewed Kentucky Representative and U.S. Senate candidate Charles Booker this week.  He spoke candidly about his campaign having it's best days in the midst of a painful time for his House district and the city he represents in Frankfort, as well as his thoughts on Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer and what he hopes to accomplish if he is elected to serve in Washington.

Kentucky's Week of Protest + Amy McGrath Interview

This week has been many things -- traumatic, historic, difficult, and in some ways hopeful.  Jazmin and Robert break down in detail the civic unrest and police response in Louisville, and touch upon the protests in other cities across Kentucky.  Also included in this episode are an update on Kentucky's COVID-19 situation, and a quick analysis of the ACLU's lawsuit seeking to overturn SB 2.
This week, Lt. Col. Amy McGrath joined My Old Kentucky Podcast. We talked to her about why she decided to jump into the U.S. Senate race, the protests across the country and an appropriate federal response, how she has responded to fallout from her campaign's rollout, what she hopes to do in the Senate, why she thinks Mitch McConnell is a bad Senator, and many other things. 

Beshear Effigy Fallout, Road Budget Special Session, and Interview with Roberto Henriquez

This was a dark week for Kentucky politics, as a group of protestors stormed the Governor's Mansion and hung Gov. Andy Beshear in effigy.  Jazmin and Robert talk through the protest that led to this event and the fallout stemming from it, in addition to other COVID-19 related news.  Robert also told us about a probable special session which is necessary because of declining revenue forecasts in the road budget.
This week we interviewed Roberto Henriquez, an organizer with Indivisible Kentucky District 4, who is hosting a debate between the Democratic candidates for U.S. Congress this Saturday (Robert is moderating!)  Mr. Henriquez is also a candidate for Kentucky House District 66, and we spoke with him about his race as well.

Unemployment Insurance Issues, Booker Endorsements, and Interview with Rep. Rachel Roberts

In addition to our weekly COVID-19 response update, in this episode we discuss the massive amounts of unemployment claims the state is processing -- how big the problem is in context, and how and why people are slipping through the cracks.  We also discussed the endorsement of Charles Booker by 16 of his House colleagues and what it might mean for the U.S. Senate race.
Rachel Roberts was our guest today -- she the Kentucky State Representative from the 67th district in Northern Kentucky.  She talked to us about running in a special election, who she likes to work with in Frankfort, and what she would like to work on for her fellow small business owners.

COVID Lawsuits, Breonna Taylor Killed By LMPD, and Interview with Will Barnett

This week's show features a discussion about the ongoing efforts of the state to tackle the COVID-19 epidemic, including a substantive rundown of the multiple lawsuits the state is facing.  Robert also talks about Louisville Metro Police Department killing Breonna Taylor.
Interviewed this wee is Will Barnett, the Democratic candidate in House District 58 in Shelby County.  He talked to us about the issues important to the people in his district, and how the district has changed in recent years.

COVID-19 Protests & Lawsuits, Budget Shortfall, Interview with Ryan Olexia

This week, Jazmin and Robert talked about the state's ongoing COVID-19 response (as usual) along with a major protest of the Governor's actions related to the outbreak, as well as two lawsuits about Gov. Beshear's actions.  Robert broke down the projected budget shortfall expected by the Beshear administration and what it would mean for services.
Ryan Olexia, the Democratic candidate for Kentucky Senate in Northern Kentucky (Covington to Erlanger) was our guest this week.  He told us about his decision to run for office as a small business owner and father, what issues he hopes to impact as a Senator, and who he admires most in the Kentucky legislature.